"That depends upon my company while traveling," replied the General.
"You might not find my company very agreeable."
"I would be glad to risk it."
"Well, perhaps Mr. Barnum would engage you, if you asked him,"
said Lavinia.
"Would you really like to have me go?" asked the General, quietly insinuating his arm around her waist, but hardly close enough to touch her.
"Of course I would," was the reply.
The little General"s arm clasped the waist closer as he turned his face nearer to hers, and said:
"Don"t you think it would be pleasanter if we went as man and wife?"
And after a little hesitation she agreed that it would.
A moment later a carriage drove up to the door, the bell rang and the Commodore entered.
"You here, General?" said the Commodore as he espied his rival.
"Yes," said Lavinia, "Mr. Barnum asked him to stay, and we were waiting for you."
"Where is Mr. Barnum?" asked the Commodore.
"He has gone to bed," answered Tom Thumb, "but a supper has been prepared for you."
"I am not hungry, thank you," said the Commodore petulantly, "What room does Mr. Barnum sleep in?"
He was answered, and immediately went to Mr. Barnum whom he found reading in bed.
"Mr. Barnum," he said sarcastically, "does Tom Thumb BOARD here?"
"No," said Mr. Barnum, "Tom Thumb does not BOARD here. I invited him to stop over night, so don"t be foolish, but go to bed."
"Oh, it"s no affair of mine. I don"t care anything about it. Only I thought he"d taken up his residence here." And off he went to bed, in a very bad humor.
Ten minutes after, Tom Thumb rushed into the room in the greatest excitement, and cried joyfully: "We"re engaged, Mr. Barnum! We"re engaged!"
"Is that possible?" said Barnum.
"Yes sir, indeed it is," responded the General, "but you must"nt mention it. We"ve agreed to tell no one, so don"t say a word. I"m going to ask her Mother"s consent Tuesday."
Barnum swore secrecy, and the General went off radiant with happiness.
The next day the family plied Lavinia with all sorts of questions, but not a breath pa.s.sed her lips that would give the slightest indication as to what had transpired. She was most amiable to the Commodore, and as the General concluded to go home the next morning, the Commodore"s happiness and good humor were fully restored. The General made a call Sunday evening and managed to have an interview with Lavinia. The next morning she and the Commodore returned to New York, without Mr. Barnum.
The General called on Monday to tell Mr. Barnum that he had concluded to send his letter to Lavinia"s mother by his friend, Mr. Wells, who had consented to go to Middleboro" the next day, and to urge the General"s suit if necessary.
The General went to New York on Wednesday to wait there for Mr.
Wells"s return. That same day he and Lavinia came to Mr. Barnum, and Tom Thumb said: "Mr. Barnum, I want somebody to tell the Commodore that Lavinia and I are engaged, for I"m afraid there will be a row when he hears of it."
"Why don"t you do it yourself, General?" asked Barnum.
"Oh!" said the General, almost shuddering, "I would not dare do it, he might knock me down."
"I will do it myself," said Lavinia. So the General retired and the Commodore was sent for. When he had joined them, Mr. Barnum began by saying, "Commodore, do you know what this little witch has been doing?"
"No, I don"t," he answered.
"Well, she has been cutting up the greatest prank you ever heard of. She almost deserves to be shut up for daring to do it. Can"t you guess what it is?"
He mused a moment, and then said in a low tone, and looking full at her, "Engaged?"
"Yes," said Barnum, "actually engaged to be married to General Tom Thumb. Did you ever hear of such a thing?"
"Is it so, Lavinia?" he asked, earnestly.
"Yes," said Lavinia, "it is really so."
The Commodore turned pale, choked a little, and turning on his heel, he said, in a broken voice:
"I hope you may be happy."
As he pa.s.sed out the door a tear rolled down his cheek. "That"s pretty hard," said Barnum.
"Yes it is hard," said Lavinia, "and I am very sorry. Only I couldn"t help it. It was all the fault of your emerald and diamond ring."
Half an hour later the Commodore returned to the office and said:
"Mr. Barnum do you think it would be right for Miss Warren to marry Charlie Stratton if her mother should object?"
"No, indeed," replied Mr. Barnum.
"Well, she says she will marry him anyway; that she gives her mother the chance to consent, but if she objects, she will have her way and marry him."
"On the contrary," said Barnum, "I will not permit it. She is engaged to go to Europe with me, and I will not release her if her mother does not consent to her marriage."
The Commodore"s eyes glistened, and he said: "Between you and me, Mr. Barnum, I don"t believe she will consent."
But she did, although at first she had objected, thinking that it might be merely a money-making scheme; but after she read Tom Thumb"s letter, and heard Mr. Barnum"s a.s.surance that he would release her from her engagement with him, in event of the marriage, she consented.
After the Commodore heard the news Mr. Barnum said to him:
"Never mind, Commodore; Minnie Warren is a better match for you anyhow. She is two years younger than you, and Lavinia is older."
But the Commodore replied grandly; "Thank you sir, but I would not marry the best woman living. I don"t believe in women."